Deadline: 13-Jul-23
The Public Diplomacy Section (PD) of the U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs (OPA) invites Palestinian or American not-for-profit non-governmental organizations (NGOs), associations, non-profit higher education institutions, or non-profit social enterprises based in Gaza to submit proposals to design and implement a project which supports private sector growth and economic development in Gaza.
Goals
- This program must be designed to implement activities that advance the applicant’s goals and the U.S. OPA-PD mission, including but not limited to:
- Building Palestinian institutions, both governmental and non-governmental, that effectively address the needs and aspirations of the Palestinian people;
- Building a prosperous Palestinian economy, led by a thriving private sector, that provides equitable and inclusive economic opportunities and improves daily life for Palestinians.
Focus Areas
- The following illustrative focus areas are provided to assist Applicants in understanding the types of activities OPA seeks to address:
- Building capacity to advocate for improvements to policy and regulations to support private sector growth
- Establishing connections and enhancing cross-border, national, regional, and international commerce
- Creating private sector opportunities for recent graduates and young professionals
- Encouraging the entrepreneurial ecosystem, including through activities that include partnerships with start-ups and business incubators, including commemorating the annual Global Entrepreneurship Week
- Preparing youth for participation in the job market
- Developing skills and/or networks that encourage the expansion of sales and export opportunities
- Encouraging corporate social responsibility
- Increasing the accountability of private sector institutions
- Supporting economic empowerment for women and marginalized communities
- Building digital marketing and e-commerce skills and opportunities
- The proposed program must include substantive engagement with American people, institutions, ideas, and ideals in order to improve American-Palestinian relations and create greater opportunities for mutually beneficial partnership and cooperation.
Program Objectives
- Working primarily at the local level and using an evidence-based approach, all proposed projects must aim to advance the OPA-PD mission goals stated, contain a substantive American element, and achieve at least one of the following specific objectives:
- Improved capacities of Palestinian businesses and/or entrepreneurs.
- Enhanced Palestinian entrepreneurial ecosystem and connections established between different components and stakeholders within the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
- Improved capacities of unemployed, underemployed, or early-career Palestinians to contribute to the Palestinian economy via participation in private sector enterprises.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $50,000
- Award Ceiling: $50,000
- Award Floor: $10,000
- Length of performance period: 8 to 12 months.
Principals
- Innovation and creativity in proposals are highly encouraged. The proposed project must adhere to the following five principals:
- Clearly defined specific project objectives, with specific supporting goals, quantifiable project benchmarks and/or milestones and a robust monitoring and evaluation plan.
- Must include a clear substantive American and Palestinian engagement element, using American expertise or partners and/or focusing on the American experience and expertise.
- Respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities, conserve their built and living cultural heritage and traditional values, and contribute to inter-cultural understanding and tolerance.
- Respect and protect environmental resources, and maintain existing ecosystems and essential ecological processes, and conserve natural heritage and biodiversity.
- Ensure viable, long-term economic operations, providing socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders that are fairly distributed, including by providing stable employment and income-earning opportunities and social services to host communities and contribute to poverty alleviation.
Priority Region: Gaza Strip
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible primary applicants for grant funding must be Palestinian or American not-for-profit nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), associations, non-profit higher education institutions, or non-profit social enterprises based in Gaza.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.